;jy JOUIINAL OF THE JDeI'AKTMEM' OF AgRICULTUEE. JuLY, 1922. 



The Selection of Pear Varieties for the Orchards. — 1 ruit growers 



contemplating' the estabiisliing (jf new orcliartls would tlo well to con- 

 sider the separation of the early ripening frorn the late maturing- 

 varieties of pears and apples, the former to comprise one ondiard, the 

 latter to make up another orchard, each planted preferably as far 

 apart as possible. Such an arrangement would facilitate greatly the 

 control of codling moth. When Williams, Clapps Favourite, Du- 

 chesse, lieurre Hardy, and other early varieties, forming a section of 

 the orchard, are harvested, most of the larvae that have previously 

 left the fruit ultimately develop into moths which fly to the trees of 

 nearby areas of the orchard that are bearing later ripening pears, thus 

 adding to their infestation. Williams, Beurre Hardy, and Duchesse 

 pears were harvested at Elsenburg in 1922 on 25th and -'Ust January, 

 and 7th February respectively; in 1921, on 2Tth January, 6th and 

 10th February respectively. Very few larvae leaving the fruit 

 liefore 4th Feljruary, hibernate, and the majority do not hibernate 

 until the middle of February (see Table I) but they develop into adult 

 moths which must deposit their eggs on trees bearing fruit if their 

 progeny are to survive. 



The fruit grower, then, should see to it that early ripening fruits 

 are picked promptly, not only to lessen the infestation the next season 

 in such varieties, but also to prevent as many larvae as possible from 

 leaving this fruit to develop into moths, which will concentrate on 

 trees in the same orchard bearing later fruits. 



Table 1. 



Records <>/ HibciiuitiiKj of Codluuj Larvae collected from Tree Banda, 



Mulder's Vlei. 



'" Literature c/Y^r^.— California Montlily Bulletin of Horticulture, V'ol. VII, May, 1918 

 p. 239. " Fear-growic g in California," by Weldon. Weldon states " Probably between 80- 9( 

 rer cent of all pear trees in California are Bartletts (Williams B.C.)"" 



90 



